Beyond Ivory Crested Trees
by Andrea Sinisterra
Summary: [OneShot] The time they spent together was always sparse, filled with kisses, longing touches of refamiliarization and sadness, knowing it wouldn’t be long before they would have to part yet again.


**Title:** Beyond Ivory-Crested Trees  
**Author:** Andrea  
**Theme:** #2 - Hot Cocoa for Two  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam Wing. This fanfiction has no commercial value and I am not making any kind of profit or income off of this story, or the use of characters owned by Sunrise and Bandai.  
**Author's Note:** Written for the _1xR 12 Themes of Christmas _challenge at the 1xR LJ Com. This was supposed to be posted last week, but I… couldn't get it done on time. I've been finding it kind of hard to write lately. glares at muse

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It was so typical of them; it had been the M.O. for as long as they've been together. It was hard trying to set family traditions when they didn't spend much time together, and the time they did spend in each other's presence, was always sparse, filled with kisses and longing touches of re-familiarization and sadness, knowing it wouldn't be long before they would have to part yet again.

Work kept them apart, thousands of miles of land, water and space between them. He would often go off to another workstation on some other colony or have to go undercover and would disappear for weeks, sometimes months, where she didn't receive any news from him. At the beginning it had been worrisome, she had always felt apprehensive when he would go on one of those missions of his; but with the passing years, the routine had set in, and now it was just a mild longing she felt, saddened and lonely.

Her job—though not any less busy and kept her as much time away from home as his—was not as dangerous, if more stressful. She was always attending summits, congresses, international campaigns— they would take her away from home for weeks at a time, at the most awkward hours and dates. And she was tired of it.

A smile crossed her face; the season had changed yet again, snow and lights and flower garlands, music and jingling bells… families and children everywhere… She continued to sit there by herself, surrounded in all the beauty that is Christmas. To any other person, it would seem weird and out of place to see such a delicate woman, thin and small, sitting by herself, elbows resting on the wooden table before her, braving the cold and brusque weather.

It had been almost three months since the last time they were together, and before that, another two months—she, by now, should've been used to this, as she was sure he was. But she couldn't help feel the anxiety that welled up inside her—reminiscent of the way she felt the time she quit her job, not even three days ago—knowing a big decision will have to be made next time she saw him. How longer could they—she live like this? It was only lately that she had been starting to question her life, wanting and longing for more… so much more.

She rubbed her numb hands together, crossing her arms to keep the chill from her limbs.

"You shouldn't even be out here." He said as he took the space beside her, flinging his arm around her shoulders to bring her closer into his warmth.

She closed her eyes and snuggled into his body. It had always been an utter mystery to her his ability to stay warm even in the coldest of winters. She relished in the soft and hard peculiarity of his body, always offering and welcoming.

She sighed even though she didn't say anything. She had always been surprised at his ability to sneak up on her, especially when she was least expecting him, yet coincidentally, when she was thinking of him. He had that tendency to appear at totally random moments and places, surprising her and stealing her away. She had always laughed at those words, for they sounded utterly clichéd, like one of those Disney movies' fairytales where the princess always had her happily ever after, together until eternity with her handsome prince charming.

"Let's go home." He started to get up, his body weight transferred to his feet as he was ready to stand up, but she reached out to take his arm, shaking her head.

He had always been a man of very few words, but the few words he uttered were always his looking after her well being. She had often thought it was kind of ironic how he was almost never home, yet the time he spent with her, he made it seem as if she was his entire world. Every single second he spent at home he dedicated to her, like there wasn't anything else worth his while, except her.

He turned to regard her with deep eyes, settling back on the seat. She welcomed his heat, contently snuggling in again. She was always surprised how he was able to wear so little clothes—jeans, a white button down shirt, a jacket and sneakers—and yet still be so warm.

Her fingers played with the ends of her cotton scarf, noticing her fingernails were starting to turn purple. Leave it to her to forget her gloves at home.

"I got back yesterday." She started, suddenly wanting to hear his voice.

"I know." He sighed suddenly, his chin lowering almost to his chest. There was something akin expectation dwelling in his features, like some sort of curiosity in his eyes. He looked back over his shoulder at the little Café behind them and then back at her. "I'm hungry; would you like anything?"

"Just a cup of coffee."

One of his eyebrows rose for a second before he smiled and nodded.

She turned around to see his retreating back, smiling to herself when she noticed several other women staring as well. Even after all these years he still looked as attractive as he did back when he was 18 years old. She let her chin drop onto her linked hands, watching him as he talked to one of the clerks, before sighing dejectedly.

She wondered how he would take the news; would he be happy, thrilled with what she had to tell him, or—and here she suppressed a sudden bout of fear—would he be upset and want out? Even after all the time they've been together, she still could not read him, much less predict him. There were times where he let himself open up to her, especially when they were alone; times were he would let himself be vulnerable to feelings and emotions, when he was just a single man, and not a heartless, stoic soldier.

"Here you go."

She took the burning cup with her bare hands, letting the heat sip into her bones and warm her skin. The absurd sweetness of the liquid shocked her, making her almost want to spit it back out involuntarily.

He must've seen her expression for his voice deepened to a clever drawl, knowledgeable as only he could be. "You shouldn't be surprised." He drew his own plastic cup of hot cocoa to his lips, relishing in the warmth it spread through his body.

She didn't know what to think. Her confusion reflected on the knitting of her brows, the curving of her lips, the shadow in her eyes; what did he mean?

He sighed, the motion deflating his chest as if he'd been carrying an enormously pressuring burden on his chest. "You shouldn't be drinking coffee in your current state."

Her eyes widened even before his eyes settled on her, long and endless fractions of seconds before the last word dropped off his lips.

"I take it that's why you quit your job", he continued. His eyes went back to staring at the space in front of him, at something in the distance, beyond the ivory-covered trees, that only he could see. There was a faint stretch to the corners of his lips, pronouncing the dimples he let few others witness.

Her head dropped when his hand reached to cover hers resting on her abdomen, surprised she had been unconsciously rubbing her stomach in soothing, synchronized caresses.

Was this the reason why he had come back sooner than expected? She wondered how he had found out. Who had told him? He couldn't have known on his own… could he? But it didn't really matter; all her questioning only proved fruitless and of no use. It didn't matter how he had found out; it just mattered that he was there with her, in flesh.

"Let's go home."

And this time when he reached out his hand for her, gazing adoringly into her eyes in that way only he could; that way that made her forget everything—time, place, people, thoughts—nothing ever mattered when he looked at her that way—this time, she took his hand, letting his strength, support and utter adoration fill her whole and enclose her in the loving cocoon only he could provide.

**The End.**


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